SAN ANTONIO, Texas (May 9) – TWU and Regis combined for 21 runs but the Pioneers came up one run short as they fell, 11-10, in an elimination game at the 2015 NCAA South Central Regional Tournament.
 
With the loss, TWU ends its 2015 season with a 28-22-2 final record.
 
"This is not the way we wanted to end the season but we accomplished something by advancing to the (regional) tournament," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Two months ago we were not in a position to go to the NCAA Tournament but we stuck together and played great softball at the end of the season."
 
TWU seniors Kendra Sancet and Sarah Wittenburg concluded their outstanding careers after helping the Pioneers to four straight NCAA tournaments.  The duo became the first class in school history to advance to the big dance all four years of their careers in any sport at TWU.  Both Sancet and Wittenburg also set numerous TWU records.  Sancet holds TWU's all-time career home runs, RBI and grand slams records with 55, 223 and five respectively while Wittenburg holds the NCAA Division II record with 95 hit-by-pitches.
 
"These two seniors were great team leaders," Stidham said.  "We had our doubts early in the season but they kept the team focused and never gave up.  It's going to be hard to replace them.  We had a good run."
 
Regis jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and made it 2-0 in the top of the third.  The Pioneers regrouped and batted around in the bottom of the third inning to score four runs and take a 4-2 lead.  With the runners on second and third, junior Laura Mabary singled up the middle to tie the game.  Sancet followed with a double before sophomore Alyssa Galaz put the Pioneers on top with a squeeze play.  Sophomore Tori Bice followed with a single to make it 4-2.
 
TWU added three more runs in the fourth to make it 7-2.  After a leadoff walk, junior Tealey Farquhar tripled down the right field line to bring home the first run.  Mabary singled with one-out for a RBI and Galaz doubled with two outs to give the Pioneers a five-run lead. 
 
Regis scored two unearned runs in the top of the fifth to make it 7-4 but TWU responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning.  Farquhar singled to make it 8-4 and a double steal made it 9-4.  Mabary's third single up the middle pushed the lead to six runs.
 
The Rangers stormed back with three runs in the top of the sixth and four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 11-10 lead.  The Pioneers could not put together another rally as three ground outs ended the game.